Refrigerator



W. M UNCH REFRIGERATOR Sept. 1936.

Filed. March 6, 1935 Fig-3 fInverdso r-z i v Walter- Munch lifter-neg S Fig-1O v 4! Fig-9.

Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES attests PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to a refrigerator of the type wherein carbon dioxide given off by food stored in a refrigerating compartment is eliminated from said compartment and is replaced by fresh air.

The object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator including a novel and improved arrangement both for eliminating freed carbon dioxide from stored food and for replacing'said carbon dioxide by fresh, moist, cool air, and which arrangement will render the present refrigerator more efficient in the performance'of its intended services than are more or less similar refrigerators heretofore known.

With-the above objects in view, as well as others which will appear as the specification p'roceeds, the invention comprises the construction,

arrangement and combination of parts as now.

being permissible so long as within the spirit of.

the invention and the scope of the claims which follow. 1

In the aocompanying'drawing forming a part of this specification,

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a refrigerator in which the features of the invention are incorporated, taken as on line l--! in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken as on line 2-2 in Fig. 1; e g

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken as on line 3-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionalview of a modified form of refrigerator made according to the invention, taken as on line 4-4 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view taken as on line 55 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the refrigerate of Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detail sectional view cor-. responding with the disclosure of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view corresponding with the disclosure of Fig. 5; -f

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a further modified form of refrigerator made according to the invention, taken as on line 9-9 in Fig. 10;

Fig. 10 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view, taken as on line ill-i0. in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of the refrigerator of Figs. 9 and 10.

a refrigerating case which is as disclosed of rectilinear conformation. Said case It) suitably supports, in any convenient manner, baiiies ii and I2, said baiiies being disposed in the'upper portion of the case in spaced relation to each other. The baiiles II and I2 desirably extend the full width of the case, and slant downwardly and inwardly of the case, the inner edges l3 and ll of said baiiles ii and I2, respectively, terminating in the same horizontal plane, in spaced relation ,to each other, as best shown in Fig. 1.

A suitable refrigerating medium, designated l5 and I6, respectively, is situated directly above each baffle II and I2, and the inner portions I1 and I 8 of said refrigerating mediums terminate 'in spaced relation to each other, above the baflies and in vertical planes desirably just outside of the vertical planes in which the inner edges l 3 and II of the baflies lie. The outer edges of the baiiles terminate in spaced relation to the adjacent walls of the refrigerating case, and the outer portions l8 and 2001' the refrigerating mediums l5 and I8 terminate above the bailies in vertical planes desirably Just inside of the vertical planes of the outer edges of said baiiles Ii and i2. The lower portions of the refrigerating mediums are in slightly spaced relation to the baiiies I l and i 2, re-' spectively. As shown, the lower portions of the refrigerating mediums are horizontally disposed, providing a space 2| between each refrigerating medium and the baiiie therebelow, which space 2| I in each instance is of widening extent toward the center of the case ill.

The portion 22 of the case l0, below the bames ii and i2, is for the storage of foods, and the spaces 2i communicate with said portion 22 by way of the gap or passage 23 between the inner edges i8 and M of said bailles.

The refrigerator includes a novel and improved arrangement for eliminating carbon dioxide freed from food stored in the space 22, and for replacing the removed carbon dioxide by fresh, moist or humid, cool air. As disclosed, the upper wall 24 of the refrigerator case is fitted with spaced apart pipes 25 leading from the upper portion of the refrigerating space to the atmosphere. Each pipe 25 includes perforated branches 26, which perforated branches may extend along an upper corner of the refrigerating space. See Fig. 3. Also, the upper wall of the refrigerator case is fitted with a pipe 21 leading from the atmosphere to the refrigerating space of the case l0. Said pipe 21 merges into a pair of spaced apart bifurcated portions, designated 28 and 29, .respectively, the former lying adjacent to or contiguous with the inner portion l1 of the refrigerating medium 15, and the latter lying adjacent to or contiguous with the inner portion 18 of the refrigerating medium I6. The bifurcated portions 28 and 29 include inlet ends 30 which terminate within the inner portions of the spaces 2|, respectively, just above their inner edges I3 and ll of the baffles II and I2, and below the refrigerating mediums, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The refrigerating mediums l5 and I6 can be refrigerating coils, ice, dry ice, or any equivalent heat absorbing entity.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the bifurcated portions 28 and 29 of the pipe 21 terminate at location below the refrigerating mediums, and, as shown in Figs 1 and 2, in proximate relation to said refrigerating mediums, above the inner portions of the baffles II and I2, within the spaces 2|. Naturally, the area within the refrigerating case H1 at and directly surrounding the refrigerating mediums l5 and I6 is the coldest portion of said refrigerating case, so that the gaseous content of the refrigerating case which at any particular time surrounds the refrigerating mediums has greater density than the remainder of the gaseous content of said refrigerating case, and said gaseous content of greater density evidently will fall by gravity through the spaces 2], against the baflles H and I2, and through the gap or space 23, as long as the temperature at the spaces 2| remains below the temperature of the storage'space 22. And the denser gaseous content in so falling will create a siphon, suction or vacuum action upon the inlet ends 30 of the bifurcated portions ,28 and 29 of the pipe 21, to thus draw fresh atmospheric air into the spaces 2 I, said air passing with the falling denser gaseous content through the gap or passage 23 into the storage space 22. The incoming air is condensed at the location of its meeting with the denser and colder gaseous content in the spaces 2!, andthus the humidity of the air and the gaseous content is increased so that the whole of the gaseous content of the refrigerating case is constantlykept sufliciently moist to in turn keep foods stored in the space 22 in proper condition precluding any shrinkage whatsoever of said foods. Also, upon the meeting of the incoming air with the colder gaseous content of the case, and the passage by'gravity of said air and relatively dense gaseous content through the gap or passage 23, the temperature of the content of the case falling through said gap or passage and downwardly through the central portion of the storage space 22 has tendency to rise as said content moves farther from the gap or passage and closer to the bottom of the refrigerating case, as

will be understood. The increase in temperature evidently decreases the density of the falling content, and eventually said downwardly moving content becomes sufficiently light to start to rise, of course first spreading out over the lower portion of the refrigerating case, and finally the portion of the content which before passed downwardly through the gap or passage 23, finds it:

way out of the refrigerating case through the pipes 25, entering said pipes through the perforated branches 26 thereof. Some of the gaseous content repeats the cycle. Obviously,in a greater or less period of time, the fresh air entering the refrigerating case through the pipe 21 andthe bifurcated portions 28 and 29 thereof, will completely scavenge the case, any carbon dioxide,

freed from foods stored in the space '22 being forced to pass, sooner or later after becoming rethe platform or baflle 35.

- medium 35 will fall to or toward the moved from the foods, out of the refrigerating case by way of the outlet pipes 25. Or in other words, the arrangement as illustrated and fully described makes provision for the constant and continuous removal of carbon dioxide, as well as other deleterious gases, and deleterious odors, from the case, and the constant and continuous replacement within the case of fresh, pure air which will be sumciently moist to insure the keeping of the foods in proper and desired condition.

, In Figs. '4 to 8, numeral 3| denotes a refriger: ating show case of oblong configuration, including a counter portion having an oblique sight glass 32 and an oblique wall 33 opposite said sight glass. The wall 33 has sight glasses 33'. The show case 3| provides a refrigerating space 34 beneath said sight glass 32 and said oblique wall 33, and the lower portion of said space 34 has therein a conveniently supported food platform of the show case, the lower portion of said pipe 31 including branches 38 which terminate at location between the refrigerating medium 33 and the platform 35, in proximate relation to said medium and platform as shown. Outlets from the show case, equivalent to the outlets 25 already described, consist of perforations 39 through the upper portion of the oblique wall 33.

The forward portion of the platform 35 is mounted in the refrigerating space 33 -to provide a passage 30 for gaseous content of said refrigerating space, and a perforated wall ll lies adjacent the branches 38 of the pipe 31, between the platform 35 and the refrigerating medium 33, to provide for passage of the gaseous content from the space above the platform 35 past the'refrlgerating medium and to the space beneath said platform, the platform, in effect, and during the functioning of the refrigerator, serving as a baflie about which gaseous content of the refrigerating space 34 is constantly circulated, in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 4.

Desirably, the branches 33 of the pipe 31 terminate just below the refrigerating medium 36 and The manner in which the present refrigerator functions will be evident from-the description made in connection with Figs. 1 to 3. The denser and consequently heavier, gaseous content surrounding the refrigerating bottom of the refrigerating space 33, and in so falling will induce atmospheric air to enter said space 33 through the branches 33 of the air inlet pipe 31. The temperature of the falling content will rise, and the gases thus becoming less dense will find their way along baffle 35 to the passage l0. Upon moving upwardly from said passage 33, some of the gaseous content will pass out of the outlets 33 and some of said content will pass through the perforated wall ll back to the location of the refrigerating,

stantly and continuously replacing the removed the bottom of the platform or i gaseous content in about the manner as hereinbefore setforth in connection with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3.

In Figs. 9 to 11, I have disclosed a further modifled form of refrigerator made according to the invention. As there shown, the refrigerating case 42 is of oblong conformation, and includes an oblique sight glass 43 at the front thereof extending the greater portion of the height of the case. The lower portion 44 of the rearward wall of the case is vertically disposed, and the upper part of the portion 44 merges into an oblique, upper rearward wall 45 having sight glasses 46. The portion 44 includes doors 44'. The refrigerating space 41 of theshow case 42 includes conveniently supported food platforms 48 which are in suitable spaced relation to each other.

A suitable refrigerating medium 49, extending along a considerable portion of the length of the show case, is horizontally situated just below the upper wall 50 of the case in spaced relation to the forward and rearwardwalls thereof. A baille Ii, desirably extending the full length of the show case, is disposed just beneath the refrigerating medium 49, and slants from front toward rear of the show case, the rearward edge portion of said bafiie desirably being in spaced relation to the rearward vertical wall 44 of the case.

The rearward portion of the baflie II merges into a downwardly disposed, convergent or funnel shaped receiver 52, which itself merges into a relatively large pipe 53, extending downwardly in the refrigerating space 41 at the rearward portion thereof, adjacent the food platforms 4I,-to position adjacentthe bottom of said refrigerating space. As disclosed, thepipe 53 is vertically disposed, and is situated at the midlength of the refrigerating show case.

An air intake pipe 54 leads from the atmosphere to the interior of the show case. As disclosed, said pipe 64 passes through the oblique wall 45 of the show case, extends obliquely downwardly in the case between said oblique wall 4'' and the baffle II, and then vertically downwardly through the vertical pipe ll, in spaced relation to the wall of said pipe 53, the lower portion of the air intake pipe 84 obviously being of somewhat smaller diameter than-the pipe 63. lets for carbon dioxide, odors, etc., in the upper portion of the wall supporting the sight glass 43, are represented ll.

The principle of operation of the refrigeratingshow case of Figs. 9 to 11 isthe sameas already set forth in connection with the disclosures of Figs. 1 to 8. The-colder and denser, and consequently heavier, gaseous content of the show case in the vicinity of the refrigerating medium 4!, obviously falls by gravity into the -convergent or funnel shaped receiver I2, and thence through the relatively large pipe 83. The passage of said colder denser gaseous content out of the lower end of said pipe 53, induces a flow of fresh atmospheric air into the refrigerating space 41 through the air intake pipe 54, 'as will be evident. The gaseous content and air will, upon meeting with each other asthe air enters the refrigerating space, become warmer, and hence less dense, and the less dense, lighter gaseous content will rise in the refrigerating space, to surround the platform 48. Eventually, the lighter gaseous content will pass upwardly through the space ll 'be- Out-- and 54, there is a general tendency toward condensation of the resultant gaseous content, making toward the keeping of the whole of the gaseous content in the refrigerator at the proper and desired degree of moisture. The relatively cold gaseous content passing through the pipe 53 about the pipe 54 cools the incoming air before it enters the refrigerating space.

It will be apparent that the action of purging the refrigerating space in the refrigerator of Figs. 9 to Ii is constant and continuous, about as already described, the fresh, pure air replacing the carbon dioxide, odors, etc., as these are removed from the refrigerator through outlets 55.

What is claimed is:

1. In a refrigerator, in combination, a casing forming a storage compartment, a refrigerating medium adJacent said storage compartment, a separator between said refrigerating medium and storage compartment and including a pipe leading from the location of said refrigerating medium into a lower portion of said storage compartment, an air inlet pipe leading from atmosphere and entering said storage compartment, said air inlet pipe being arranged within the pipe first mentioned in spaced relation thereto, said separator providing a passage for upward travel of a gas at a location in remote relation to said pipes, and an outlet for'a gas leading from said refrigerator.

2. In a refrigerator, in combination, a casing forming a storage compartment, a refrigerating medium adjacent said storage compartment, a separator between said refrigerating medium and said storage compartment and including av funnel shaped member leading from the general location of said refrigerating medium into said storage compartment, an air inlet pipe leading from atmosphere to said storage compartment, said air inlet pipe being arranged within said funnel shaped member in spaced relation thereto, said separator providing a passage for upward travel of a gas at a location in remote relation to saidfunnel shaped member and said air inlet pipe, and an outlet for a gas leading from said refrigerator.

3. In a refrigerator, in combination, a casing forming a storage compartment, 0. refrigerating medium adjacent said storage compartment, a separator between said refrigerating medium and said storage compartment and including a funnel shaped member leading from said refrigerating medium to said storage compartment, an air inlet member leading from atmosphere and communicating with said storage compartment, said air inlet member being arranged within said funnel shaped member in spaced relation thereto, said separator providing a passage for upward travel of a gas at a location in remote relation to said funnel shaped member and said air inlet member, and an outlet for a gas leading from said refrigerator.

WALTER. MUNCH. 

